Welcome to Education Shifts!


This site explores the evolution of American public schools.

How have our beliefs shifted? What events have effected those shifts? What are the "new" beliefs at each shift? How do we still act in schools as if we still believe the "old" beliefs?

Project Requirements



Who are schools for?

Troy Female Seminary - 1821 (Tessa DeSilva)

Oberlin College - 1833

Mount Holyoke Seminary For Women - 1837 (Cassie Richardson)

Compulsory Education - 1852

Joliet Junior College - 1901 (Kyle)

Internationalization - 1923

GI Bill of 1944 - (Lori)

Segregation of Black Americans and Whites - 1950's

Bilingual Education - 1960's

Affirmative Action - 1970's (Eric L)

Disabled Students - 1971

Title IX - 1972 (Luke E)

Inclusion vs. Exclusion - Late 1900's (Mike B)

Financial Aid - 1960s-present (Nicole C)

Corporal Punishment - 1999 (Zak)

No Child Left Behind - 2001

Special Needs Students

Individualized Education Program


What is the purpose of education?


Religion in Schools - 1600's

The Montessori System - 1907

Montessori Ideals - early 1900's

Sputnik - 1951 (Mike's Demo)

Sputnik - 1957 (Sam)

Standards-based Education Reform - 1990s (Cheyanne)

To Learn or To Teach - Around 1996



How has the government insured the quality of education?

Normal Schools- Late 1830's (Brandi Nielsen)

"Standard Unit" - 1909

The Scholastic Aptitude Test - 1926

National School Lunch Act - 1946 (Kristin Wiggins)

Exchange Visitor Program - 1946

Standardize Testing - 1948

American College Testing Program (ACT) - 1959 (Shane Pinkham)

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act - 1965

FAPE - 1973 (Bill R)

IDEA - 1975 (Joe H)

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - 1975

Maine Learning Results - 1990

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

No Child Left Behind - 2001

Government Improving Teacher Quality - 2001

Maine Laptop Initiative - 2002


Teacher Certification in Maine


About the Project

This is a project of Dr. Mike Muir's Introduction to Middle/Secondary Education course (edu 101) at the University of Maine at Farmington. Freshman beginning their teacher education programs are exploring these ideas at an introductory level education course.